TEACHING THE EVOLUTION OF TOPSPIN
The Evolution of Topspin in Tennis: 3 Revolutionary Drills That Changed the Game
By Paul Dale | The 3AM Method
How a Match in Japan Revealed the Future of Tennis
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| Andreas Gomez was one of the early players to adop heavy topspin in his matches |
Many years ago, I was watching a match in Japan between Andres Gomez and Aaron Krickstein. Sitting close to the court, I realised I was witnessing something revolutionary—a table tennis rally on a tennis court! Both players controlled the ball through a tight "funnel" of arc with heavy topspin, creating rallies dominated by ball flight rather than by bounce points.
Today, this might seem normal, but back then, it marked the beginning of a new era in tennis groundstrokes.
The Topspin Revolution: From Borg to Modern Tennis
Long before this, Bjorn Borg had changed our perception of topspin in tennis. Borg hit the ball with much more arc than any other player of his time. Years later, that match in Japan showed me the post-Borg era emerging. Younger players like Krickstein and Jimmy Arias were hitting tremendous topspin while simultaneously increasing rally speed.
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| Borg was the first player to make heavy topspin fashionable |
These evolutionary steps from Borg to Krickstein are exactly the progression I use today to teach players how to develop heavy topspin, increase groundstroke speed, and maintain arc control.
3 Stages of Topspin Evolution (And the Drills That Teach Them)
Stage 1: Learning the Importance of Arc Control
The Borg Innovation: Borg introduced us to the importance of arc. He could stand deep in the court and rally endlessly without error because his ball crossed the net higher than anyone else's and dipped well inside the lines.
The 3-Court Topspin Drill:
Have your players rally across 3 courts at diagonally opposite sides. Rally from court 1 all the way to court 3, using court 2 as the "net". Encourage heavy topspin looping shots. Before long, the big muscles will engage and players will begin lifting off the ground to hit high-bouncing balls.
If there's an umpire stand in the middle—even better!
Variation: Use flat tennis balls that don't bounce much, or balls from a bucket of water. This removes the ball's life and creates an intense physical workout.
Stage 2: Creating Physical Presence with Power Forehands
The Next Generation: Players after Borg realised that if they could control arc through heavy topspin, they could increase ball speed without fear of hitting out. This generation developed huge forehands and physically muscled the ball—and their opponents—around the court. Andre Agassi and Jim Courier epitomised this successful era.
The Deep-to-Short Target Drill:
After the 3-court drill, return players to one court. Place a target cone in the middle of the service boxes. Position the players back at the fence, then have them rally from deep, aiming for the target.
Players must maintain the arc from the previous drill while allowing their whole body to lift during contact.
Stage 3: Taking the Ball Early to Maximise Pressure
The Tactical Evolution: The next stage came when players moved closer to the baseline. Agassi was famous for standing on the baseline to take time away from opponents. Thomas Muster transformed his game this way—known for chasing balls all day but unable to attack from deep positions. When Muster began standing closer during rallies, his opponents immediately felt more pressure, and his ranking soared.
Players like Muster, Agassi, and Courier combined Borg's arc with the powerful forehands of the Krickstein-Arias era, but played from inside the baseline. All three became world #1.
The Baseline Contact Position Drill:
Instruct players to stand with heels inside the baseline to rally. Encourage them to increase ball speed while maintaining topspin arc. Have them resist the temptation to step back on deep balls.
Why This Progressive Approach Works
These three evolutionary steps changed how tennis is played worldwide. By replicating these stages through structured drills, you give players a complete understanding of topspin mechanics, arc control, and pressure tactics.
Ready to develop players who can execute heavy topspin under pressure? The 3AM Method provides systematic training protocols that build tournament-ready competitors, not just practice champions.
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Hi Paul, I must have been a good student of yours then, as I have been using your method here in Singapore for many years now; ever since I sat under your teaching way back when, when you were conducting a clinic here in Singapore under the auspices of The Registry of Coaches, Singapore at the Jurong Country Club. I still uses your coaching techniques and it works@ Thanks Paul
ReplyDeleteCoach Edmond Chee - Singapore
Thanks Edmond, hope we get a chance to meet somtime in the future. All the best with your coaching... best job in the world!
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